Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes Mellitus is a term that has emerged from the Greek language. In the ancient days, this disease was characterized by the sweetness of the urine. When the affected person urinated at some place, the place would be swarmed by ants. When the wise men of those times studied this phenomenon, they came upon the term diabetes; today it is known as a disease of the body where by the blood is sweet. Diabetes mellitus literally means "to flow, honey" in the Greek language.The main causes of diabetes are insufficient production of insulin and obesity.
This is a disease that affects the body’s ability to produce insulin. Insulin is a natural compound that is produced by the B-cells that are located in the pancreas. Basically it is the pancreas that produces the insulin. The insulin so produced by the pancreas is used to reduce the sugars of the body to convert it into energy. When this is not possible, the sugars start building up and overflow into the urinary system. This leads to the urine becoming sweet and this is known as the diabetes. But all the sugar is not drained off into the urine, the blood also contains sugar. Too much level of sugars / glucose in the blood can lead to a condition called hyperglycemia.
When the glucose level in the blood increases, complications start taking place. The complications are of the two types. The first one being, direct, as energy cannot be produced by the sugars, the body is starved of energy and this leads to weakness and dizziness. The second problem is an inter-related problem. Here as and when the sugar level in the blood increases, other systems of the body start to malfunction. It mainly affects the kidneys, and then comes the nerves of the eyes leading to blurred vision. The toughest condition is when the heart is affected. Plaque starts building up along the walls of the arteries and lining layer and this could lead to stroke or other heart related problems at any time.
Diabetes does not belong to the class of diseases where it is considered as infectious. You cannot catch it like the AIDS or the flu. And surely it cannot be transmitted through the blood, but however diabetic patients are not advised to donate blood. Diabetes is a life long disease and once you have come up with it, you got to live with it.
This is a disease that affects the body’s ability to produce insulin. Insulin is a natural compound that is produced by the B-cells that are located in the pancreas. Basically it is the pancreas that produces the insulin. The insulin so produced by the pancreas is used to reduce the sugars of the body to convert it into energy. When this is not possible, the sugars start building up and overflow into the urinary system. This leads to the urine becoming sweet and this is known as the diabetes. But all the sugar is not drained off into the urine, the blood also contains sugar. Too much level of sugars / glucose in the blood can lead to a condition called hyperglycemia.
When the glucose level in the blood increases, complications start taking place. The complications are of the two types. The first one being, direct, as energy cannot be produced by the sugars, the body is starved of energy and this leads to weakness and dizziness. The second problem is an inter-related problem. Here as and when the sugar level in the blood increases, other systems of the body start to malfunction. It mainly affects the kidneys, and then comes the nerves of the eyes leading to blurred vision. The toughest condition is when the heart is affected. Plaque starts building up along the walls of the arteries and lining layer and this could lead to stroke or other heart related problems at any time.
Diabetes does not belong to the class of diseases where it is considered as infectious. You cannot catch it like the AIDS or the flu. And surely it cannot be transmitted through the blood, but however diabetic patients are not advised to donate blood. Diabetes is a life long disease and once you have come up with it, you got to live with it.
Blood Sugar
When the sugar level is between 65 and 140 for every deciliter of blood checked, it is considered that the person is normal.
A person suffering from diabetes normally has a blood sugar level of 250 to 350 for every deciliter of blood.
A person with blood sugar level of 350 and above is considered that the person is having extremely high blood sugar levels.
A person suffering from diabetes normally has a blood sugar level of 250 to 350 for every deciliter of blood.
A person with blood sugar level of 350 and above is considered that the person is having extremely high blood sugar levels.
When the body detects that the blood sugar level is too low in the body, the body begins a process whereby the blood sugar level starts to increase automatically. At this stage, the pancreas releases another hormone called the glucagons. With the help of this hormone, the stored glycogen of the muscles and the liver is converted back into glucose.
As and when all the stored glycogen is used up, the liver, small intestines and the kidneys start breaking down the proteins into glucose.
Types of diabetes
There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2.
- Type 1 diabetes usually starts in adolescence.
- Type 2 comes on gradually, usually when you're 40 or over.
- There's also a condition called impaired glucose tolerance. This isn't diabetes, but it does increase your chances of getting diabetes.
- Some women get a kind of diabetes while they're pregnant. This is called gestational diabetes.
· Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).
· Juvenile diabetes.
· Brittle diabetes.
· Sugar diabetes.
There are two forms of type 1 diabetes:
- Idiopathic type 1 - refers to rare forms of the disease with no known cause.
- Immune-mediated diabetes - an autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system destroys, or attempts to destroy, the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.
The cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. However, it is believed that people inherit a tendency to develop diabetes, and that some outside trigger may be involved. Type 1 diabetes is the result of the body's failure to produce insulin, the hormone that allows glucose to enter the cells of the body to provide fuel. This is the result of an autoimmune process in which the body's immune system attacks and destroys the insulin producing cells of the pancreas.
When glucose cannot enter the cells, it builds up in the blood causing the body's cells to starve to death. People with type 1 diabetes must take daily insulin injections and regularly monitor their blood sugar levels.
When glucose cannot enter the cells, it builds up in the blood causing the body's cells to starve to death. People with type 1 diabetes must take daily insulin injections and regularly monitor their blood sugar levels.
Type 1 diabetes often appears suddenly. In children, type 1 diabetes symptoms may resemble flu symptoms. The following are the most common symptoms for type 1 diabetes. However, each child may experience symptoms differently. Other symptoms may include: 
- High levels of sugar in the blood when tested.
- High levels of sugar in the urine when tested.
- Unusual thirst.
- Frequent urination.
- Extreme hunger but loss of weight.
- Blurred vision.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Abdominal pain.
- Extreme weakness and fatigue.
- Irritability and mood changes.
Researchers are really not sure what causes type 2 diabetes. They do know, however, some things that put people at a greater risk for getting the disease, such as:
- Being overweight
- Being over age 30
- Being African American, Hispanic, or Native American
- Giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
- Having a family member with diabetes
- Having high cholesterol
- Having blood pressure of 130/90 or higher
The type 2 diabetes is the most universal type of diabetes. The type 2 diabetes is usually referred to as "non-insulin dependant diabetes" or "adult onset diabetes" because it comes on later in life due to dietary choices and way of life rather than genetic conditions. Insulin is in charge for regulating blood sugar and energy levels, but when someone ingests a diet high in sugar then their body can become insulin resistant, which is how this condition develops.Once your body becomes insulin resistant, then the levels of blood-sugar or glucose will rise and the body cannot process them as normal, which can in the long run cause rigorous health problems.
The type 2 diabetes is avoidable, but the issue is that many people wait until it is too late to take the bull by the horns.Let me tell you that the best prevention for diabetes 2 is a hale and hearty diet and steady work out. Reducing the amount of sugar consumed, at the same time increasing fruits, vegetables, and fibrous foods will have the utmost effect. Exercising several times per week will as well help the body metabolize blood sugar and normalize the energy levels effectively.
The moment a person has been diagnosed with diabetes, then they are compelled to deal with the condition.On the other hand, some of the symptoms and complications related to diabetes type 2 can be lessened or removed entirely. The same rules that apply for prevention also apply for treating it. Eating a hale and hearty diet and getting an adequate amount of exercise are the two most vital things that you can carry out to trim down your diabetes symptoms. Also for many people, this will be the only treatment needed, while for some people more well-organized treatments might be in order.
Part of the requirements for managing blood sugar is by getting steady blood sugar readings via a portable device.It simply means regular finger pricks to ensure that blood glucose levels are not too high.For that reason, managing blood sugar levels becomes a daily chore. Apart from exercise and diet, there are other natures of insulin therapy that utilize medications, either administered orally or via injection. There are various forms of prescription medications used as cures for type 2 diabetes. Some reduce blood glucose by limiting the amount produced by the liver, some increase the amount of insulin produced, while others work to make your body more sensitive to insulin in the hope that it will return to a usual sensitivity level.
The problem with oral medications is that the enzymes in the stomach break down some of the drugs. In these cases, type 2 diabetes victims might be compelled to get steady insulin injections, which you know is not fun at all, but can help ease the symptoms. Someone might even be forced to carry around an insulin machine that disperses insulin without human intervention based on a doctor's recommendation. Though none of these medications are complete cures for diabetes type 2 but they can help the body go back to more normal levels. Sooner or later, the body might become less resistant to insulin, which means that you are likely to reduce the medications or injections.
The major thing to do if you are to manage your diabetes is to keep a close eye on your blood sugar levels so that you can identify which foods and medicines cause a spike. The moment you identified these items, you can do away with them from your diet and find other medicines that won't interfere with your diabetes injections and medications. Also enough exercise is needed and eat a healthy diet and you will be well on your way to managing your diabetes. The goal is to prevent the need for injections for the duration of your life and ensure that your body sees as little effects from diabetes as possible.
Main Symptom
One of the most common signs and symptoms of diabetes is fatigue. You will feel easily tired and may experience long term fatigue. The fatigue occurs because of the presence of high levels of blood sugar that cannot be neutralized by insulin as the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin. In such a case, much of glucose remains unprocessed as energy and that is why our body feels fatigued.
The most classic among the signs and symptoms of diabetes is the urge of frequent urination. This is something almost any adult person can notice. Now if you want to laboratory test, the blood glucose test is the classic test that tells you whether you have abnormally high levels of blood glucose. You may ask why blood glucose becomes high. It happens mainly for two reasons. Your body may use insulin in a way which is not appropriate. The other reason is insufficient insulin.
Treatment
At this time, there is no cure for diabetes. With regular medical care and consistent compliance with treatment, you can manage diabetes to minimize the risk of serious complications, such as diabetic retinopathy, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.
Treatment of diabetes varies depending on the type of diabetes you have. Management of all forms of diabetes includes regularly monitoring your blood sugar levels; eating a well-balanced, healthy diet; and following a regular exercise program.
Type 2 diabetes is generally treated with oral antidiabetic medications, such as glipizide, glyburide and metformin. Pregnant women with gestational diabetes may be treated with glyburide.
Type 1 diabetes is always treated with injected insulin, and some people with type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes may need insulin injections as well. A new treatment that may be an option for some people with type 1 diabetes is pancreatic islet transplantation. This experimental surgery transplants insulin-producing beta cells from a donor into the pancreas of a person with type 1 diabetes.
To minimize complications, it is also important not to smoke and to follow your health care provider’s advice on preventing, monitoring, and treating any coexisting medical conditions, such as hypertension and high cholesterol.
Insulin medication used to treat diabetes
When your body doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use its own insulin, your treatment plan may include injected insulin. Different types of insulin include:
- Aspart (rapid-acting insulin)
- Glulisine (rapid-acting insulin)
- Lantus (long-acting insulin)
- Lente (intermediate-acting insulin)
- Levemir (long-acting insulin)
- Lispro (rapid-acting insulin)
- NPH (intermediate-acting insulin)
- Regular insulin (short-acting insulin)
Oral antidiabetic drugs used to treat diabetes
Oral antidiabetic drugs work in different ways to control blood glucose, depending on the specific drug. These include helping the body to better use insulin; raising the amount of insulin in the body; blocking the liver from making sugar; or slowing the digestion of sugar. You may need to try a couple of different medications or combinations of medications to find the best treatment regimen for you, as recommended by your health care provider.
- Acarbose
- Glimepiride
- Glipizide
- Glyburide
- Meglitol
- Metformin
- Rosiglitazone
- Sitagliptin phosphate
Other treatments
Beyond medications, other treatments for diabetes include:
- Counting carbohydrates
- Dietary changes
- Good hydration
- Home glucose monitoring
- Insulin pump
- Pancreatic islet transplantation
- Prevention and treatment of coexisting conditions and complications, such as high cholesterol and hypertension
- Regular exercise
- Smoking cessation
- Weight loss as needed
- Weight loss surgery (bariatric surgery)
Potential complications of Diabetes
Complications of untreated or poorly managed diabetes can be serious and even life threatening. You can control diabetes and reduce your risk of complications by following the treatment plan that you and your health care professional design specifically for you.
Poorly managed blood sugar levels damage the body’s blood vessels and organs and can lead to complications that include:
- Birth defects
- Cardiovascular disease
- Diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and blindness
- Disability
- Excessive growth of a fetus
- Kidney damage and kidney failure
- Lower limb amputation
- Newborn respiratory distress syndrome
- Pre eclampsia in a pregnant woman with diabetes
- Serious infections and gangrene
- Stroke
Diabetes can also lead to life-threatening emergency conditions that include:
- Diabetic ketoacidosis
- Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome (HHNS)
- Hypoglycemia.
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